Automatic garage light



Oct. 30, 1962 G. COBB AUTOMATIC GARAGE LIGHT Filed Jan. 24, 1961 m B, m N mw m I C 2 T w A E m w W G 5% @NK muzi c .um D vw \0N .awwnwuu Q- Q Q m N\ ,mM %M ZUmO w. oUD. 2mz ONwOJU WM g 3,@L758 Patented Chet. 30, 1962 3,061,758 AUTMATIC GARAGE LIGHT George Cobb, 7323 Amber Way, Stockton, Caiif. Filed lian. 24, i961, Ser. No. 84,686 i Claims. (Cl. l-Sfi This invention relates to control systems for electric lighting circuits, and more particularly to an improved lighting system for an enclosure having a door, for example, for a garage, wherein the lighting circuit associated with the enclosure is automatically energized when the door is opened and is deenergized responsive to the closure of the door.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved lighting system for a garage or similar enclo sure, the system involving relatively simple components, being easy to install, being reliable in operation, and providing a time delay subsequent to the closing of the door of the garage or similar enclosure, after which the lighting system associated with the enclosure becomes deenergized, said time delay being sufficient to allow the person using the garage to leave the car, remove packages therefrom, and the like, before the garage lighting system becomes deenergized.

A further object of the invention is to provide an i1nproved automatically operated lighting system for an enclosure such as a garage or the like, the system being automatically operated responsive to the opening of the door of the enclosure to energize the lighting system only in the event of absence of light outside the enclosure, and providing a time delay after the door of the enclosure is closed, during which the lighting circuit of the enclosure remains energized to allow the person using the enclosure sufficient time to perform necessary operations such as removing packages from an automobile, locating keys for entry into the building adjacent to the enclosure, and the like, before extinction of the lighting units of the enclosure.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved automatic lighting system for a garage or similarenclosure having a door and a door-operated switch which closes when the door is open to energize a lighting circuit associated with the garage and which opens when the door is closed to alternately deenergize the lighting circuit, the system involving inexpensive components, being reliable in operation, and providing a time delay subsequent to the closure of the garage door during which the lighting system associated with the garage is maine tained energized to enable the user to descend from his automobile, remove packages therefrom, and enter the adjacent building associated Kwith the garage before the lighting system becomes denergized, the system being provided with means to automatically render same operative in the absence of external light, so that it is effective only at night and does not function under daylight conditions.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved automatically operated lighting system adapted to operate in conjunction with radio or electrically-controlled garage door opening devices, said system being responsive to the opening of the door of the associated enclosure to energize the lighting system.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved automatically operated lighting system adapted to be employed with radio or electrically-controlled automatic garage door opening devices presently installed and 1n use.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

The single FIGURE is an electrical wiring diagram showing an improved automatic lighting system for a garage constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to the drawing, l1 designates a conventional dcoioperated switch which is employed with a garage door, or with the door of a similar enclosure, the switch being closed when the door is open and being open when the door is closed. The switch itself is conventional in construction, and therefore the details thereof are not disclosed herein.

The switch l1 is mounted to therefore close automatically responsive to the opening of the garage door, assuming that the system is to be employed in conjunction lwith a garage. Designated at l2 is an electric lamp which is associated with the garage, or other enclosure employing the system, the lamp l2 having one terminal thereof co-nnected to a 'first supply line wire 1.3 and having the other terminal thereof connected to the terminal fastener its of a terminal strip i5. The terminal strip l5 has a terminal fastener lo to which is connected the remaining supply line wire E7, as shown. The door-operated switch 1l has one terminal thereof connected by a wire i8 to the line wire `1'7 and has the other terminal thereof connected by a wire 19 to the terminal fastener Ztl on terminal strip 15.

As shown, the supply line wire 13 is connected to the remaining terminal fastener 2l of terminal strip 15.

Designated at 22 is a first relay provided with an armature 23 and a stationary contact 24 which is engaged by the armature 23 when the relay 22 is deenergized and which is disengaged therefrom responsive to the energization of said relay. A wire 25 connects the line terminal 16 to one terminal wire 26 of the winding of relay 22 through a current limiting resistor 27. The remaining terminal of the winding of relay 22 is connected through a wire 28, a photo-sensitive resistor 29, a wire 3Q, a recti- Ifier 31, and a wire 32 to the line terminal 2l. The photosensitive resistor 29 is of a conventional type, for example, of the Selenide type, which has a relatively high resistance when no radiation is impinging thereon but which substantiallyreduces its resistance responsive to the reception of daylight or similar visible radiation of substantial intensity. Thus, in the absence of substantial intensity of light thereon, the photo-sensitive resistor 29 acts as an open circuit, so that there is insufficient current in the winding of the relay 22 to affect the armature 23, and the armature thus remains in contact with the stationary contact element 24. However, in the presence of daylight, the resistance of the photo-sensitive member 29 diminishes substantially, allowing sufficient current to flow in the winding of relay 22 to cause the armature 23 to be disengaged from contact element 24.

The photo-sensitive resistor 29 is suitably mounted adjacent the garage or other enclosure to be supervised, so that it will be exposed to daylight.

A suitable filter condenser 33 is connected across the wires 26 and 28 to filter the rectified current applied to the winding of relay 22.

Designated at 34 is a second relay which has its Winding connected in parallel with the lamp l2, to be energized simultaneously therewith, one terminal of the winding of relay 34 being connected to the wire 32 by a wire 3S and the other terminal of the relay 34 being connected to the terminal M of the strip 15 by a wire 36.

In the absence of daylight and with the switch lil closed, namely, when the garage door is opened, lamp y12; becomes energized by a circuit comprising line wire l?, wire 18, the switch il, wire 19, a wire 37 connecting terminal 20 to armature 23, the relay contact 24, a wire 3S connecting relay contact 24 to wire 36M, sai-d wire 36, terminal 14, the lamp filament, iand line wire i3. As

deines 3 above mentioned, since the winding of relay 34 is connected in parallel with lamp l2, the relay 34 becomes energized simultaneously with the energization of lamp 12.

Relay 34 is provided with respective armatures 39 and 4t) engageable with respective stationary contacts 41 and 42 responsive to the energization of the relay 3d. Designated at 4.3 is a slow-acting switch device, for example, a slow-acting switch device of the thermal type having an operating winding lit'.- and having the switch contacts 45 and de which alternately open and close responsive to the thermal action of the heating winding ad, the closure of the contacts 45 and de taking place a predetermined relatively short time after the heating winding 44 becomes energized and correspodingly providing a relatively long time delay for the subsequent opening of said contacts 45 and 45 during energization of the heating winding 44. The time delay of the slow-acting switch device 43 may be any desired predetermined value, for example, a value of the order of three minutes for opening of the switch contacts 45 land 46, and of any suitable value for the closure thereof, which is preferably much less than that for the opening of the contacts. One terminal of the A heating winding ed is connected to the armature le by a wire 43 and the other terminal of the heating winding 44 is connected by a wire i9 to the stationary contact element dit. Stationary contact element l2 is connected hy a wire Eil to the wire 32, and thus to line Wire 13. Armature in@ is connected to the wire 33` land is thus connected to the line wire 1'7 through contact 24, armature 23, wire 37, terminal 2t), wire 19, door-operated switch 1l, and wire 18. Therefore, the heating winding 44 becomes energized responsive to the energization of the relay 34. Such energization of relay 3d, which is connected in parallel with the lamp i2, takes place yat the same time as the energization of said lamp.

As shown, one of the switch contacts t5` is connected to the wire 49 and the remaining switch contact 46 is connected to the wire 25. Thus, the switch contacts 45 and 46, when closed, connect the lamp l2 to the supply wires y13 and 17 through a circuit comprising the supply wire 13, the filament of lamp 12, terminal i4, wire 36, armature 39, contact rtl-l, wire 49, the switch contacts 45 and 46, the wire 25, the terminal le and the line wire 1'7. It will therefore be readily apparent that once the contacts 45 and 46 have been closed, the lamp 12 will remain energized independently of `switch lll until said contacts 45 and 46 reopen.

It will be further noted that with the contacts 45 and 46 closed, the relay 34 is maintained energized by a holding circuit comprising line wire i7, wire 25, the contacts 45 and d6, wire 49, contact 41, ar-mature 39, Wire 38, the winding of relay 3d, wire 35, wire 32 and line wire 13. Since the heating winding 414i is energized at this time, by a circuit comprising `line wire 17, wire 25, the contacts 45 and d6, the wire 49, the winding 44, the wire 48, armature 4d, contact 4t2, wire Sil, wire 32 and line wire 13, contacts 45 and 46 remain closed for a predetermined time period, for example, a period of three minutes, after which said contacts t5` `and 46 open. This deenergizes the relay 34 unless the door-operated switch 11 and the photo-sensitive relay contacts 23 `and 24 remain closed. It the heating winding 44 remains energized, the contacts 45 and t6 will subsequently again close, and will continue to maintain intermittent opening `and closing action until switch l1 opens or armature 231 disengages from contact Thus, when the garage door is closed, switch 11 opens, and when the contacts 45 and 46 subsequently open at the end of the heating cycle, relay 34 becomes deenergized since its connection to the supply wire i7 is broken either at the switch l1 (opened by the closure of the garage door) or at the contacts 23 and 24 (opened by the presence oi daylight received on the photo-sensjtive resistor 29. Thus, when the switch 1l opens,

the lamp 12 Will be maintained energized for the time period required for the contacts 45 vand 46 of the slowoperating switch 43` to open.

lt will thus be apparent that a suiiicient time is provided after the closure of the garage door to enable the driver of ya vehicle driven into the garage to leave the vehicle, to remove packages therefrom, and to enter the building associated with the garage, prior to the `deenergization of the lamp 12.

The switch device 43 may be of `any conventional type, for example, may be similar to Model No. 1150180 manufactured by Amperite Company.

As previously mentioned, the photo-sensitive member 29 may be of the Selenide type, for example, of the cadmium Selenide type.

In operation, assuming the absence of daylight, the armature 23 of relay 22 engages the contact 24. When the garage door is opened, by any suitable conventional means, the switch l1 closes and the lamp 12 becomes energized directly by the above described circuit which includes armature 2.3 and contact 24 and the door-operated switch Tl. At the same time, relay 34, which is connected in parallel with the lamp 12 becomes energized and closes its contacts. Heating winding 44 then becomes energized through the circuit comprising wire 13, wire 32, wire Sill, contact 42, armature 4t), Wire y48, the heating winding fifi, wire 4E?, contact el, armature 39, wire 38, contact 24, armature 23, wire 37, wire 19, switch il, wire i8 and wire 17. Switch i3 then cycles as long as the door remains open and the photo-sensitive relay 22 remains deenergized. When the switch 11 opens by the closure oi' the garage door, the direct energizing circuit for the heating winding A24 is interrupted at the switch ll so that eventually, namely, when contacts 45 and 46 open, the heating winding fili can no longer be reenergized. This provides the time period during which lamp l2 is maintained energized, and also during which the relay 34 is maintained energized. When the contacts 45 and 46 open at the end of the laforesaid time period, the holding circuit for the relay 34 is opened and lamp 12 becomes deenergized.

While a speciiic embodiment of an improved automatic lighting control system for a garage or similar enclosure has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in 4the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as deiined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a lighting system for an enclosure having a door, an electric lamp, a. source of current, a door-operated switch closed when the door is opened, `means connecting the source of current to the lamp through the dooroperated switch to energize the lamp when the door-operated switch is closed, a relay connected in parallel with the lamp to be energized simultaneously therewith, iirst and second pairs of relay contacts closing responsive to the energization of the relay, a slow-acting switch having an actuating winding, means connecting the lamp to the source through the iirst pair of relay conta-cts and said slow-acting switch, and means connecting said actuating winding to the source through said irst and second pair of relay contacts and said door-operated switch, whereby -said relay is held energized, to maintain energization of the lamp after opening of said door-operated switch., until said slow-acting switch opens.

2. In a lighting system for an enclosure having a door, an electric lamp, a source of current, a door-operated switch closed when the door is opened, a light-sensitive switch exposed externally of the enclosure and closed when it is dark externally, means connecting the source of current to the lamp directly through the door-operated switch and the light-sensitive switch to energize the lamp when both the door-operated switch and the lightsensitive switch are closed, a relay connected in parallel with the lamp to be energized simultaneously therewith, rirst and second pairs of relay contacts closing responsive to the energization of the relay, a slow-acting switch having an actuating winding, means connecting7 the lamp to the source through the first pair of relay contacts and said slow-acting switch, and means connecting said actuating winding to the source through said first and second pair of relay contacts, said light-sensitive switch, and said door-operated switch, whereby said relay is held energized to maintain energization o-f the lamp after opening of said door-operated switch, until said slow-acting switch opens.

3. In a lighting system for an enclosure having a door, an electric lamp, a source of current, a door-operated switch closed when the door is opened, means connecting the source of current to the lamp through the dooroperated switch to energize the lamp when the door-operated switch is closed, a relay connected in parallel with the lamp to be energized simultaneously therewith, rst and second pairs of relay contacts closing responsive to the energization of the relay, a thermal switch having a heating winding closing the switch responsive to the energization thereof and opening same after a predetermined time subsequent to the energization thereof, means connecting the lamp to the source through the first pair of relay contacts and said thermal switch, and means connecting said heating winding to the source through said lirst and second pair of relay contacts and said door-operated switch, whereby said relay is held energized to maintain energization of the lamp after opening of said door-operated switch until said thermal switch opens.

4. In a lighting system for an enclosure having a door, an electric lamp, a source of current, a door-operated switch closed when the door is opened, a light-sensitive switch exposed externally of the enclosure and closed when it is dark externally, means Connecting the source of current to the lamp directly through the door-operated switch and the light-sensitive switch to energize the lamp when both the door-operated switch and the lightsensitive switch are closed, a relay connected in parallel with the lamp to be energized simultaneously therewith, first and second pairs of relay contacts closing responsive to the energization of the relay, a thermal switch having a heating winding closing the switch responsive to energization thereof and opening same after a predetermined time subsequent to the energization thereof, means connecting the lamp to the source through the first pair of relay contacts and said thermal switch, and means `connecting said heating winding to the source through said first and second pair of relay contacts, said light-sensitive switch, and said door-operated switch, whereby said relay is held energized, to maintain energization of the lamp after opening of said door-operated switch, until said thermal switch opens.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,618,816 Davies Feb. 22, 1927 2,181,293 Biggs Nov. 28, 1939 2,802,142 Johnson Aug, 6, 1957 

